Truth in Aging Interview with Skin 2 Skin® Care Founder, Kenneth Simpson
by Holly Dawsey,
“We prefer the term Pro-Aging – Removing the negative connection from the aging process”
Many brand tout natural ingredients, but the question remains – do they deliver like their hi-tech counterparts? We recently sat down with Kenneth Simpson, the founder and chief formulator of Skin 2 Skin®, who believes they have perfected the balance between nature and science. Skin 2 Skin products were born out of a “personal necessity to reduce the visual damage and make my skin appear healthy and youthful,” he says. “My vision and the mission of our company is to create products that are unique, effective and transformational.” The formulas combine high concentrations of natural antioxidants and plant extracts with proven peptides and stem cells to fight signs of aging skin. We’ve come to adore the products and look forward to seeing how this innovative brand grows within the skin care market.
What inspired you to get into skin care?
KS: “I’ve been into cosmetics and skin care since I was 18. I started my career at Neiman Marcus where I worked as senior buyer – from men’s dress shirts to women’s active wear to Henri Bendel & Sr. VP Felissimo World Wide, NYC cosmetics and skin care. From there, I worked in product development and marketing for various retail companies and upscale spa destinations like KSL Resorts as Director of Spa Product Development & Merchandise. It was my job to develop the skin care line, as well as all the products used in the spas and sold at retail.
Then, I found out I was sick with a brain tumor. I underwent intense radiation treatments five days a week for a total of 36 treatments. The good news is that the brain tumor is gone. but the treatment took quite a tole on me. With radiation, you always have the side effect of damaged skin, and I was told by my doctors to be prepared for permanent scarring and accelerated signs of aging. With over 35 years of skin care experience under my belt. I was not willing to except this diagnosis. So I started developing my own product – Aging Intervention Cream.”
Why did you decide to develop your own product instead of using something that was already on the market?
KS: “I wanted a product that was a safe solution to the effects of the radiation, but it also needed to treat the signs of aging that were now fast-tracked. While there were plenty of products free of harsh chemicals and carcinogens on the market. I needed one powerful enough to restore the visible damage. Natural or Organic skin care alone wasn’t going to get the job done. I had tried a lot of other products and nothing was helping, so I started doing research and found the products have to have a nutritional value to skin. They need to be high in antioxidants and plant extracts – one or two just won’t do. When you combine them, they all support each other and provide the strength that you need. So, the first product I developed, Aging Intervention Cream, contains a total of 33 antioxidants.”
What makes Skin 2 Skin® care unique?
KS: “Our products are made in such a way that they all work in unison, supporting each other. So many lines lack that and offer products with different bases and ingredients that end up canceling out the benefits or actually causing more damage to the skin. For example, retinal and citric acid, AHA’s _ they are proven ingredients, but the shouldn’t be used together and not in the daytime. So, I went on a widespread search to find a natural alternative to retinol that could be combined with our SuperOX-C complex without causing irritation. That’s how we discovered Exo-T and Lanablue both natural retinol alternatives as effective, which is used in many of our anti-aging products. As chief formulator, I select every ingredient and at what concentration. I do extensive research to ensure everything that goes into our products will work synergistically.”
What’s the one product in you line you couldn’t live without?
KS: “That’s a hard one. Everything has such great benefits , but I would have to say the 24/7 Rejuvenation our all-in-one with skin brightener. I was a sun kid and lived on the water. We had a house that backed up to the ocean. So I have pretty heavy sun damage. This treatment really keeps my sun spots under control. I use them all. Like I said, they all work better together.”
What’s the one product you recommend most?
KS: ” I couldn’t recommend one product, as it depends on your skin type and concerns. But normally we start by recommending 24/7 Rejuvenation Cream. We send them to that because it does so much. It has a powerful brightener, supports the structural integrity of the skin to address sagging, acts like a Dermafill to target wrinkles and, of course, deeply hydrates and feeds the skin. It really is your all-in-one treatment. As our customers mature, they start layering on more, like the Anti-Sagging Renewal Serum.”
Do you have any skin care advice we don’t hear often?
KS: “Don’t forget to apply your treatments all the way out to your ears. Wrinkles will start to appear where the lobe meets the face. You can always tell someone’s age by looking in that area, because they always forget to take care of it.”
What’s one of the most frequently asked questions you receive?
KS: “Is this really going to work? My response is that you will start seeing changes to the appearance and feel of the skin within the first 30 days – but like a prescription, you have to be consistent. If you stop a prescription, you revert back to being sick. You will never hit a plateau when using our products as long as you are using them correctly. They are formulated is such a way that will continue to hold aging at bay.”
What’s next for the company?
KS: “We will continue to add boosters to our product line. The products will be at a concentration that will help accelerate the skin’s renewal and healthy skin process with used with the rest of our line. We are working on developing safe exfoliates, in such a way that you use them once every three to six months. You have to be gentle with you skin. Slow and steady wins the race.”